Hail and stormy conditions experienced last weekend and on Monday caused damage to Swiss fruit and vegetable crops in several regions around the country.

Local media NZZ reported vineyards, orchards, vegetable crops and nurseries had all been affected. A clearer idea of the extent of the damage is expected to emerge in the coming days.

Hundreds of insurance claims have been registered, with the damage toll expected to total million of dollars.

Switzerland is a major producer of pome fruit and stonefruit.

In comments sent to Fresh Fruit Portal, a representative of Swiss fruit association Schweizer Obstverband said it did not seem as though the damage was severe.

"The hail damage in the fruit orchards is local, very limited and without much influence on this years’ crop," the group's director Georg Bregy explained.

In April, much of the European fruit sector was heavily affected by severe frosts, which the head of European fresh produce industry forum Freshfel described as "unprecedented."

Affected countries include Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland and the U.K., with stonefruit and cherries among the biggest casualties.

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